High-flying Invincible Spirit stockpiling Classic contenders

There was a time not so long ago when a valued aspect of a stallion was his neutrality. Whether those producing with an eye on the sale ring admit it or not, the stallion with the ability to appeal to both Godolphin and Coolmore came to be that little more coveted as breeders sought to cover all bases during the years of the Godolphin boycott of Coolmore-sired stock.

Among a handful of such horses was the Irish National Stud’s Invincible Spirit, one stallion who has long held the respect of major players. So it was quite appropriate that his end of season flourish should come courtesy of representatives belonging to each camp in Magna Grecia and Royal Meeting, who achieved a momentous weekend Group 1 double for their sire when successful in the Vertem Futurity and Criterium International.

The pair brought Invincible Spirit’s tally of Group 1 winners to 18 and are reflective of how the horse has reacted to the better mares afforded to him over time. The idea that a stallion’s stud career should run in tandem with opportunity is a logical one but in an industry that hinges on the whims of nature, nothing is ever set in stone and history contains a number of examples who were unable to take advantage of better books.

The Duchess Of Cornwall meets Invincible Spirit and Daffer KellyCredit: Caroline Norris

Invincible Spirit is not one of those stallions. Despite being a quick horse himself who made his name as a sire of precocious talent, the son of Green Desert has also enjoyed good fortune as more of those Classic mares have come his way, thereby justifying his current fee of €120,000.

There was a sense early on that Invincible Spirit could tread such a path when his first crop flag bearers ranged from the Prix du Jockey Club winner Lawman to the Group 1-placed juvenile Captain Marvelous, himself the highlight of 35 first-crop two-year-old winners (a record for a freshman sire).